“I’m really grateful for this opportunity,” said Gabriel, who was born in Mexico. “We can’t sing victory yet, but we are studying.”

The lifelong learners enrolled in the NCCER course have years of experience in construction trades, according to Raquel Echeverria, a worker development associate at El Sol.

“Carpentry, electrical, HVAC, they’ve done it all,” she said.

Over the summer, Raquel led tutoring sessions for students wanting to preview course material and practice reading and writing in English. She structured the sessions, in part, like lectures so students could also practice listening and taking notes.

An AmeriCorps VISTA member at El Sol, Raquel helped recruit students for the NCCER course. She recruited Eduardo, a Venezuelan immigrant with 16 years of experience as an engineer.

Eduardo plans to continue studying at Palm Beach State College after earning his NCCER Core Training Certificate. He wants to earn certifications in plumbing.

Eduardo and his fellow lifelong learners worked hard to prepare for the NCCER course, Raquel said. “I was more than happy to help them.”